Why We Fight
by CharCorvin
Summary: A stranger arrives at Hogwarts, forcing her way into a certain Gryffindor's heart. But why is she here? And who has she brought back? HPOC DMHG RWLL
1. Chapter 1

Harry Potter sat down to dinner in the Great Hall. He was grateful to be back at Hogwarts to begin his sixth year. After the death of his godfather, another dreadful summer with the Dursley's and a strange encounter with his headmaster, Harry was happy to be left alone. He glanced around at his friends and classmates. Luna sent him a lazy wave from her Ravenclaw table, he returned it with a nod. Ginny and Dean were deep in conversation, Ron and Hermione were bickering about Ron's table manners and Neville was piling more food on his plate. Harry Potter was content, until he looked over at the Slytherin table.

He knew they weren't going to be please with him, exactly. After sending many of their parents to Azkaban, it seemed the Slytherin's were out for blood. He could already hear the new rumors and taunts beginning. One blond-haired Slytherin seemed to be staying out of the festivities. Draco Malfoy's eyes were focused solely on the doors of the Great Hall. Without explanation, Draco looked over to the Gryffindors, catching Harry's eye. Harry realized Malfoy looked worried, scared even. Harry looked toward the doors, then back at Malfoy. Draco inclined his head in recognition of Harry's gaze. Harry's brows furrowed in consideration.

"Harry?" Hermione whispered, noticing the exchange of glances between the enemies. "You alright?"

"Sure," Harry looked back toward Draco, who was again staring at the doors. "Just tired."

"Well, Dumbledore will make his speech and we'll be off to the tower," Ron added through a mouthful. Hermione gave him a disgusted look.

"Attention!" Soon Dumbledore's voice broke out over the Great Hall. All chattered died instantly and focus was turned to the headmaster. Unable to help himself, Harry stole another glance at the Slytherin's, Malfoy's eyes were darting between Dumbledore and the entrance to the hall.

"I'd just like to welcome all of you back for another year at Hogwarts. Before I release you all to your beds, I'd like to-" He was cut off as the doors were thrown open violently.

A girl stood behind them. Harry noticed Malfoy stand up.

The girl took purposeful steps toward the headmaster. As she passed Harry, they locked eyes. She had short blond hair, that seemed to be mussed into a lazy Mohawk. Her bright silver eyes burned through Harry and he could feel his stomach jump. She wore loose fitting jeans and a tight black shirt; it was then that he noticed her arms. They were bruised and scarred over. She also had a gash running over her left eye that looked barely healed. Her hands were bloody and calloused, but her right one gripped a wand as if her life depended on it. The robes that billowed behind her were shredded, but Harry vaguely thought it made her look more attractive, not shabby

She slowed as she reached the headmaster, she looked up at him with silver eyes that were rapidly blurring over.

"He's back." She whispered before fainting, into Draco Malfoy's waiting arms. As if she weighed nothing, Draco picked her up. He met eyes with Dumbledore then walked between the tables and out through the door. Murmurs had broken out as Draco had disappeared but instantly stopped as another figure walked through the door. It was Harry's turn to stand up.

"Sirius," he whispered, unbelieving.

Ron and Hermione stood up as well. Sirius's face broke out into a wide grin as he raced forward, embracing his godson.

"Sirius," Harry whispered again. "How?"

Sirius smiled, holding Harry at arms length. "The girl."

"Perhaps we best carry on this conversation somewhere else. Sirius, the infirmary, if you will? Your hero is in need of care." Dumbledore ushered Harry, Ron, Hermione and Sirius out through the doors.

"You're back?" Harry asked, keeping a firm grip on his grinning godfather.

"It's true."

"The girl? The one Malfoy took off with? She saved you?" Hermione asked.

"She did. That little girl saved me."

They pushed open the hospital doors.

"DON'T YOU BLOODY TOUCH HER!" Malfoy was screaming at Madam Pomfrey.

"She needs care, Mr. Malfoy. Stand aside."

"SHE'S FINE! SHE'LL HEAL HERSELF IF YOU GIVE HER A DAMN MINUTE!"

To everyone's surprise, including her own, Hermione rushed forward and grabbed Draco's hand. "She's trying to help, Malfoy. Let her help."

"What do you know?" He turned on her, distracting Malfoy from the girl. Madam Pomfrey took this as her cue to begin healing. In seconds, the color returned to the girls cheeks and her eyes fluttered open.

"Drey," she whispered. Harry went to her, and grabbed her hand.

"Hey, you're gonna be alright, kid."

She fixed him with an uncertain stare.

"Sirius," she murmured.

"Right here, hero." Sirius leaned toward her.

"Where's Drey?"

"Currently fighting with Hermione."

She gave a laugh, "why would he fight with her when he's loved her all along."

Harry's eyes went wide with shock, he sidetracked that it made perfect sense looking back. The girls silver eyes wandered back to Harry's emerald ones.

"Well, Mr. Potter," she said. "You'd better be worth all my trouble."

Draco turned sharply from Hermione. He had been inches away from her shouting, and wondering briefly what would happen if he kissed her. He shook his head as he heard the girl begin to speak.

"Get away from her!" he shouted. He pushed Harry away, but seemed to ignore that Sirius was holding one of the girl's hands. "You with me?"

"I'm always gonna be with you, Drey. It's my curse." She laughed again.

Harry noticed the care in Malfoy's voice, he was taken aback for a moment as the full picture formed in his head. Malfoy and the girl had the same eyes, the same nose and the same smirking smile. He felt light-headed.

"So…you're-" he was cut off.

"Harry, meet Lucy. Malfoy's sister."

"That would be short for Lucius then…" Harry realized.

Both Lucy and Draco's eyes darkened at the mentioned of Lucius.

They were all broken away from their thoughts when the doors were thrown open again. In a flash of long blond hair another girl landed on the bed next to Lucy and Draco. Luna Lovegood smiled up at them.

"It's about damn time, Lucy."


	2. Chapter 2

"I need to sit down…" Harry stated as he slid down the wall.

"It's all very simple when you get down to it," Sirius said as he knelt down to Harry.

"So, Luna and Lucy are Draco's sisters…and Lucy saved your life," she pointed to Sirius.

"Saved my death, really."

"How?" Harry managed. "How did she save you when…when I, when I couldn't."

"Leave it alone, Scarhead. It's a little too much for you, I believe," Malfoy said scathingly.

"Drey! Play nicely," Lucy grabbed his arm. "Not to change the subject or anything…can I shower or something? I'm covered in blood."

They all took in how true it was. Hermione offered Lucy her arm and helped the girl to one of the prefect's bathrooms.

Luna smiled as they shut the door and snuggled against Draco.

"You're _his _sister," Ron asked, smiling. "That explains a lot."

"What? What?" Harry asked. "It explains nothing. What the bloody hell's going on? I deserve to know!"

"Settle down," Sirius pulled Harry to his feet and sat him at the foot of the bed.

"Tell me how this happened."

"Well, it starts the night I died. I don't know everything, Harry, so I'll need some help explaining." He nodded to Luna and Draco who gave short nods back.

Draco began, "It really starts the night that we were born."

"Triplets?" Hermione asked, returning and sitting down in a chair next to Draco. Who looked pleasantly surprised.

"Yes," Draco choked up. "I was kept at home, because Lucius needed a male heir. Luna was sent to be raised by Narcissa's cousins, the Lovegood's. And Lucy…well, Lucy was…trained."

"Trained?" Ron asked.

"Something to that effect. She was sent away at any rate, and I grew up an only child. I didn't know anything about my sisters, until the night that Voldemort returned. Lucy knew the whole time. She knew about me, Luna, the arrangement, she grew up a soldier for the dark side."

"She's anything _but_ dark," Sirius said, smiling proudly.

"Luna knew more than I did, also. Her guardians sent her to school a year after I went, so it wouldn't look suspicious. I'm sure you realize now how much we look alike," Draco smiled at his sister. "When Harry came back, holding Cedric's…body, Luna found me. She said she had something she needed to tell me."

"And so I did," Luna replied. "I told him everything I knew. About Lucy, about our parents."

"And I told her she was only Loony Lovegood and that she'd never be as good as a Malfoy," Draco looked down.

"But the truth came out when we went home for the summer. Harold Lovegood told me I wasn't to be staying at his house, but I was to go home. So, I arrived at Malfoy Manor and met my father. And my brother."

"And you had the guts to show up back here and pretend to be our friend!" Harry stood up.

"Wait, Harry. Just let them talk," Hermione pleaded.

"So Luna and I spent the summer getting to know each other."

"Wondering what our sister was like."

"Planning revenge on the people who separated us."

"But school started up."

"So what was in it for you? Pretending to fight Voldemort while really just taking notes?"

"Don't you see, Harry? We never cared about Voldemort. We cared about," Luna was cut off as Draco nudged her with his elbow.

"Who?" Harry asked, noticing the exchange.

"No one," Malfoy said sternly.

"WHO!" Harry demanded.

"Tell them, Draco."

"Our mum, Potter. Her life was on the line."

They both went quiet. When Draco looked up there were tears shining on his face.

"Lucy failed at the end of the year. She was supposed to remove the Portkey, so that you couldn't get back to Hogwarts alive. But she left it so that you'd get back. She paid for that one."

"With every scar," came a sullen voice. Lucy had returned wearing what appeared to be some of Hermione's clothes. The tank top she wore more scars wrapping around her back.

"But they called it hormones when I went back to training. I was tortured, but given another chance. I was told that I'd pay a heavier fine the next time I screwed up. My mother's life." She walked closely to Harry, squaring up with him, he refused to look in her eyes.

"There's a prophecy, Harry. That states that the first born of the Malfoy's will give their life to save that of the Boy-Who-Lived. I was raised as a Death Eater. I was taken from my family and put into a camp geared especially towards the hate of you."

"So why aren't you evil? Why did you help?"

"The stories didn't add up. If this Voldemort was such a great guy, how could a mere infant destroy him? None of the stories I was told made sense, until I realized that Voldemort was the villain. I was given the tales of the old Death Eaters, how great their accomplishments were, in tearing families apart.

"I think some people are born with good hearts, Potter. And they blacken over time. I'd like to think mine hasn't, but I know the truth. Being tortured by the people I saw as caregivers…it'll damage a person. More than these scars can show."

Hermione and Luna were both crying openly. Ron was blinking furiously while Sirius stood with his arm on Ron's shoulder. Draco was staring at his sister as if he'd never properly looked at her before. Harry finally met her eyes, and knew she was telling the truth.

"I screwed up again, Potter." She smiled sadly. "The night Sirius was supposed to die…I warned Draco. I tried to get him to stop you at any cost. And he did…he took you all to Umbridge. I had hoped it was enough time for Snape to get back and tell you that it wasn't true. But Granger, Draco was right about you. You never give up."

Hermione looked down, ashamed. "This was my entire fault."

"No, no you were right, too. Harry does like being a hero. But that's not the point. When the Death Eaters left for the Ministry, I knew you had too. So I went along. I jinxed the doors to open to the one's you needed to go through. Luna was the reason that you all weren't killed instantly. And Draco was the reason you all got out alive."

"Explain it," Harry asked, anticipating the truth.

"I hid under my Invisibility Cloak and cleared any way I could, without being detected. But Bellatrix saw me right before she began fighting with Sirius. She told Lucius that I was there, he reported to Voldemort…and mum was killed." She broke off. Harry found himself grabbing her hand, but couldn't remember thinking about it. Draco sat up a little bit.

"Lucius is evil, yes. But he wouldn't risk his children's lives. He married my mother because he had to, he reared children because he had to, but we're his. Luna stayed to the front and the Death Eaters were given orders not to harm her."

"And Draco?" Harry glared at him.

"Draco had stunned his friends and let the other's join you. Then he found the right professors and got them to alert the Order. Then he told me what the Veil did."

"The Veil?" Harry asked, looking back at Sirius.

"It wasn't _Avada Kedavra _that Sirius was hit with, it was just a blow. He fell back into the curtain, he wasn't dead, technically."

"So, what did you have to do with him coming back?"

"After everyone left, and after we knew our mother was gone…we made a decision. Draco would remain the loyal son, taking notes, if you will. Luna would return to Hogwarts and keep Draco posted on any harebrained schemes you decided to come up with. And I went after Sirius. I jumped through the Veil and into Hell to bring him back."

"Why? Why do all that for a man you didn't even know?" Harry frowned.

"What?" Lucy asked. "You think you're his only godchild?"

* * *

Love it? Hate it? Want to curb stomp me? Gimme some feedback, plus any ideas you might like to see.

CharCorvin


	3. Chapter 3

"That's enough, Lucy," a careless, drawling voice echoed around the hospital wing.

"Father," Draco muttered.

"Time to go," Lucius held his hand out to his daughter and motioned for the other two to follow him.

"No," Lucy said, looking Lucius straight in the eye.

"What did you say?"

"I said no. I'm staying here with Luna and Draco and I'm going to a real school."

"This? A real school, hardly. There are more important things to learn about than what is taught at this school."

"More important? Explain that to me father, I'm pretty sure I don't understand. You see, I thought _my_ school was about Dark Magic and evil. Correct me if I'm wrong."

"Lucy Malfoy, you will be coming home with me and that is final."

"Home?" Lucy questioned. "I doubt it. Seems to me that as soon as you get me off these grounds one of your lackeys will off me. Hey, maybe I'm good enough for Voldemort himself to finish off. What do you say?"

"Lucy." Lucius said threateningly.

"No. I'm staying here and that's final. See you around."

With a wave of her small hand, Lucius Malfoy disappeared.

"And what, may I ask, have you done with him?" Dumbledore asked calmly.

"I've sent him home," Lucy said. "Why's it so dark in here?"

Her knees were weakening. Lucy watched the faces around her swim in and out of focus. She was falling over, the last thing she saw was a pair of concerned, green eyes.

"What's wrong with her?" Harry asked as he picked her up easily. "She doesn't weigh anything at all, Sirius. What's the matter with her?"

"Put her on the bed, Harry," Dumbledore commanded.

Harry laid Lucy on the bed and crawled up beside her, keeping her hand clasped in his.

"Get off my sister, Potter!" Malfoy said, moving aside for his sister. He elbowed Harry sharply in the ribs.

"Let go of her hand," Malfoy commanded.

"Make me," Harry retorted, grasping on tighter.

"Leave her alone, Potter. I'm not joking."

"Boys, I think there are more important things at hand."

"Granger," Malfoy spat angrily.

Hermione huffed and turned her back on the boys. Draco paused for a moment, turned toward Hermione, turned back toward Lucy, muttered "Damnit" and sat down next to his sister.

"Her arm, let me see it." Dumbledore said. He pushed her sleeve up, revealing her forearm. A black mark marred her pale skin. Bright red veins were twisting away from it, Harry could tell they were traveling up her arm.

"What is it?" Harry asked, afraid of the answer.

"Self-destruct," Lucy muttered, awakening to her surroundings. She laughed bitterly, "I'm destructing."

"Explain," Harry turned to Draco this time.

Draco wasted no time. "When she was born and sent off she was immediately branded. Whereas Luna and I would have to wait until we were 17 because we were supposed to look like upstanding citizens, you know? Well, the Death Eaters wanted to make sure that Lucy would pull off the plans that they'd set in store. So they placed a charm on her that if she'd ever switched sides, well, literally she'll destruct. She knew too much about their plans and who they were, if she went to the Light side, she'd have to die."

"She's dying." Harry tried to soak up the information. "No, no she can't die."

"What do you care, Potter?"

"We're all dying, Harry." He slid his eyes off Draco and down onto Lucy who was smiling. "Some sooner than others."

"She needs rest, Harry." Dumbledore squeezed his shoulder. "I suggest we all get a good night's rest. Lucy, I assume you know your own state of health, there are dorms open in Gryffindor, Slytherin and Ravenclaw, depending on who you'd like to stay with. Or, you can of course, stay here."

"I'll go with Draco," Lucy said, standing up and holding onto Harry for support. Draco suppressed a growl. "Hermione, are you coming?"

"Yes, in a minute. I'd like a word with Professor Dumbledore."

* * *

Lucy, Harry, Draco, Luna, Ron and Sirius walked slowly down the halls of Hogwarts. Luna and Ron led the group, eagerly talking of what would be for breakfast. Draco and Sirius walked silently beside each other, each trying to ignore the two behind them.

"So you and Hermione," Sirius began.

"I don't want this talk from my godfather, so butt out."

Harry had his arm firmly wrapped around Lucy's shoulders, though he couldn't remember putting it there…or why it felt right. Lucy was walking slowly, her arm pulled up toward her stomach.

"Does it hurt?"

"It's just numbing. I'll figure something out…or die, whichever."

Harry paused, letting the others move on ahead. "That isn't funny. To joke like that I mean."

"Lighten up, Potter. I've got time." She gave him a wink.

"Time for what, exactly?"

"I guess we'll find out."

"Here we are," Ron announced, he gave Luna a goofy smile before she walked toward Ravenclaw. Sirius stayed beside her as he headed towards the teachers quarters.

"Maybe I'll just stay with a Gryf- I mean, at Gryffindor, tonight," Lucy said, smirking the trade-mark Malfoy smirk.

"You bloody well will not!"

"Oh, but Draco…it's a long way to the dungeons. I'm tired," Lucy feigned a yawn and held on tighter to Harry. Harry's stomach dropped out as he got the death glare from Draco.

"Then you'll be staying in the girls' dorm."

"Great! I'll get to girl-talk with Hermione." Lucy suddenly bounded through the portrait hole with unexplainable energy and up to the girl's dorms.

"You stay away from her, Potter."

"And what if she won't stay away from me, Malfoy?" Harry asked, following Ron to the dorms.

"Well, then…I'll just…did she say girl-talk with Hermione?" Draco asked, paling.

"Yup," Harry smirked.

"Damnit."

* * *

Draco tossed and turned in his dungeon bed, praying for a sleep that wouldn't come. He couldn't possibly sleep knowing that at any moment his dear sister could be talking…or worse, _looking_ at The-Boy-Who-Wouldn't-Die. He finally gave up and planned to sleep on the Gryffindor couches, no matter how many Gryffindors he angered.

On his way to the tower he walked passed the library. A gleam caught his eye. Someone was up at two in the morning doing god-knows-what in the library. Curiosity took over and he headed in.

At the very last table in the farthest corner of the room, a bushy-haired something was fast asleep on the books. Malfoy looked at Hermione's sleepy face, smiling slightly. He thought briefly about leaving her there, but decided that might not be the way to make his feelings known.

"Granger?" he poked at her softly.

"Mhh, -aco," she sighed, falling deeper asleep.

"Granger, wake up!"

Her head shot up, her eyes frantically searching for where she was.

"Hey, Draco," she said, curling into her chair.

"Whacha doin'?" he asked, bordering on civil.

"Researching…your sisters…_problem_," she began closing books and piling them up. With a wave of her wand they returned to their shelves.

"Why do you do it?" Draco asked, suddenly.

"To know what's wrong with her, of course. To help out."

"I mean, in general. Why do you study all the time…why are you such a know-it-all?"

"I'll try and take that as a compliment," Hermione smiled.

"I'm serious," they headed out of the library together walking towards the tower.

"Can you try to imagine something for me?"

_If it involves me and you, I've probably already thought of it, _Draco smiled to himself.

"What if you had never known you were a wizard? You went to an average school, in an average town. You had average parents that are dentists. There's no magic, no wands, no Fizzing Whizzby's. You're just Draco Malfoy, Muggle."

"That's not hard to imagine."

"Okay, try this. You're 10 years old, with your whole life in front of you. You've decided that you're going to be a veterinarian."

"Alright."

"Now you're 11, and you've gotten a letter explaining that you're a wizard. That you're going to go to a special school to learn magic. And when you graduate you're going to be part of a whole other world. Someplace you can't believe. There are books filled with spells, potions to brew, invisible people and giants. Dragons really do exist, the boogyman in the wardrobe is only a bogart."

A wave of understanding passed over Malfoy as he turned to look at Granger. All those years he'd made fun of her for being a Mudblood, he never realized how scary it had to be to integrate herself into a world she didn't know.

"I had to learn everything I could just so fit in, and believe me you didn't make fitting in easy. I became friends with Harry and Ron, who mean more to me than anything in this world. I've learned so much from both of them. Ron grew up in this world, Harry was born so deep into wizarding lore that it didn't matter that he didn't know about it until he was eleven. But I had to learn everything. And it was important. Everything is so much more real here. The beasts, the magic…life. I can't even imagine my own life without Hogwarts.

"I'd want to know everything I could. Everything," Draco said, smiling. "So, really." He gave a smirk. "I've had quite the impact on you."

"You mean you've made me defensive and bitter and shy, then yes."

"I'm sorry, Granger."

She analyzed him slowly. "Maybe you're human after all."


	4. Chapter 4

"You know, Luna's looking quite good this year," Ron said, nonchalantly, as he dug through his trunk.

"Uh huh," Harry replied. He couldn't help but let his thoughts wander back to Lucy. He'd never met anyone like her, he was sure. All the girls he'd known were always…ordinary. Long hair, completely shy around him, they just weren't interesting enough. But Harry knew as soon as she'd walked in the door that he was curious about the girl. The Mohawk caught his attention but her personality kept it there. _"I guess we'll see,"_ she had told him. He analyzed it. That had to mean something right.

"Maybe I should ask her out," Ron tried again, looking at Harry.

"Uh huh," he said again as he crawled into bed. Perhaps he could ask her on a date…WAIT! What the bloody hell was he thinking! Asking Draco Malfoy, his enemy's sister, on a date.

Clearly he'd have to get rid of Draco first.

"I was thinking about switching to Slytherin," Ron muttered, taking in Harry's vacant expression. "I hear the girls are quite lovely."

"Uh huh," Harry said again.

"You know, Lucy's a lot cuter than Luna, perhaps I'll ask her out." Ron said casually.

"You will do no such thing!" Harry caught onto the conversation.

"Date Lucy or join Slytherin?" Ron smiled.

"What's your point?"

"She's Malfoy's sister, Harry."

"Luna's Malfoy's sister too, Ron."

"Truce?" Ron closed the hangings.

"Truce."

* * *

"So that's the huge secret to Book-Worm-Granger?"

"You expected more?" Hermione giggled.

They'd made it back to Gryffindor Tower without incident and Hermione found herself letting Malfoy inside. She'd grabbed a few bottles of Butterbeer from the girls' dorms and now found herself having a nice time with Draco Malfoy.

"I was betting world domination, actually. You really do ask a lot of questions," Draco smiled, enjoying himself. He never imagined that he'd be sitting in Gryffindor common room with Hermione Granger. Considering he'd dreamed about hanging out with her for ages, he couldn't believe he was really here.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked after a minute of silence.

"You…I suppose," he looked down.

"What about me?"

"How odd this is. A year ago would you have imagined this? Us sitting here, drinking?"

"No, and I'd have cursed you if you'd suggested it."

"So what changed?" Draco asked, daringly.

"I'm not sure yet," Hermione answered. She was moving closer to him.

"Any ideas, a brain like yours?" Draco moved closer too.

Whether it was because of the Butterbeer, the fire or the gorgeous boy in front of her, Hermione found herself leaning towards him.

She couldn't lie to herself. Ever since the Yule Ball she'd been wondering about his feelings for her. It was obvious at sometimes, like when his lips were inches from hers. Hermione paused, reviewing the situation. _Did she want this?_

Hell yeah.

Their lips met lightly at first, both wondering who would pull away first. When she didn't run away screaming, Draco took the lead and pressed his lips harder to hers. His hand snaked up around to the back of her neck. She sighed lightly, enjoying the moment. He pulled away, opening his eyes to look at her. Her eyes fluttered open, she was smiling. And then she was frowning and backing away from him.

"What are…?" Draco began.

"I think I'm missing the show," Lucy was standing at the top of the stairs. "I come down for some water and catch my brother snogging!"

"We were not!" Hermione said, looking at Lucy. She turned to Draco, "were we?"

"No of course not," Draco agreed, but he couldn't hid the smirk.

"I'm going to bed," Hermione jumped up and disappeared behind Lucy.

"Draco and Hermione sitting by the fire," Lucy giggled. "F-U…"

Draco clapped a hand over her mouth, "Finish that and I'll stun you."

Hermione shut herself up in her dorm. What in Merlin's name was she doing? Oh, that's right she was snogging Draco frickin' Malfoy! Not only that, but she enjoyed kissing the boy. The door opened and Lucy wandered in, heading towards the bed she'd claimed.

"So, anything you need to talk about?"

"No." Hermione said, defiantly.

"He's been in love with you for years, Hermione."

"Has not."

"Has too."

"Has not."

"Stop, he has too! The first time I met him, you know when we were supposed to be getting to know each other? All he could talk about was you!"

"Can I go to sleep now?"

"No, I haven't finished talking yet and you're going to hear me out."

"I've known you like…twelve hours and you're trying to boss me around?"

"I'm not _trying_, I _am_ bossing you around."

"You really are a Malfoy."

"Yeah," Lucy carried on. "Lookit, I know it seems really strange that you're falling for Draco so fast."

Hermione scratched her nose innocently.

"Right," Lucy noted it. "I know my brother, okay? He walks around Hogwarts like he's the best there is, because that's how he was raised. But there's a different side to Draco, a side that you caught a glimpse of tonight. He's sixteen. He's insecure and he's shy and he doesn't know how to act around girls. Specifically you, Hermione."

"I don't love him," Hermione stated.

"I don't expect you to love him right away, that would just be…ridiculous. But I'm asking you to give him a chance."

"Why would I do that? He's done nothing but hate me for the last five years."

"No, he's done nothing but pine for you for the last five years. Every mean thing you've heard come out of his mouth is Lucius. It's not Draco. Draco lived in fear of Lucius so of course he tried to be the model son, but he doesn't care about blood. He does, however, care about you. So you'll just have to square with that someday."

"This is all so…bizarre."

"Take it from someone who's dying, Hermione," Lucy looked out the window, over the green landscape of Hogwarts. "If you want something, you have to take it."

A shadow scurried across the grounds towards the Quidditch pitch. Even from that far away, Lucy could see the messy hair and the glint of glasses. She stood up, lifting the hatch on the window.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked.

"Taking it."

* * *

Harry was ecstatic. There was no way even a monstrous castle like Hogwarts could hold all his excitement. He hurried to the pitch, careful to avoid Mrs. Norris and Filch. He mounted his broom quickly and soared into the air.

This was the first time in a long time that he'd felt…happy. It wasn't just that there was a pretty girl suddenly showing up at Hogwarts. He now had a weapon. Something in his arsenal that Voldemort wouldn't see coming. Harry knew that they would fix whatever was wrong with Lucy before she could get hurt. But…

His feet slammed into the ground and he stumbled to his knees.

"_The first born of the Malfoy's will give their life to save that of the Boy-Who-Lived."_

His weapon was going to be his downfall.

"Harry?"

He whipped around, expecting Hermione or maybe Ginny. Lucy stood in the middle of the field. Her white hair soaking up the moon, "What're you doing?"

"Clearing my head…"

"How's that working out?"

"Fine until you appeared," he meant it to be flirty. It sounded harsh.

"Then I'll go."

He stood up, ignoring the dirt on his jeans and grabbed her arm. "I didn't mean that. I can't think when you're around."

"You've only known me for a day."

"It doesn't work like that," Harry told her. He swallowed hard, searching for anything to say. Anything, something, anything had to come to mind. Please, something.

"I don't mind spiders," said Harry suddenly.

Lucy's mouth dropped open in surprise, then to Harry's relief, she broke into a grin. Her laughter rang over the stadium.

"I'll walk you back inside."

* * *

Draco curled up on the worn couch of the Gryffindor common room. He was on the edge of falling asleep when the portrait creaked open. There were muffled sounds of giggling as whoever was wandering in was trying to act quiet. One of them stumbled over something, a broom dropped to the ground.

"Shh, you'll wake him…"

"LUCY!" Draco shot up.

Harry wished he could Disapparate in Hogwarts. Lucy feigned complete innocence.

"Oh, hi, Drey. Whacha up to?"

"Don't even try it," he growled. "I didn't hear you leave."

"Went out the window."

Harry looked amazed.

"You…you went out the window? You climbed from the top of Gryffindor tower all the way down to the Quidditch pitch?" Draco tried not to be impressed.

"It is what I was trained to do. Be sneaky," she smiled. She turned pointedly on her heel and kissed Harry's cheek. She sauntered over to Draco, pressing a sisterly kiss to his cheek before scampering off to the girls' dorms.

Harry and Draco locked eyes.

"This seems intelligent to you?" Draco asked him.

"Not particularly."

"Then why are you doin' it?"

"Just because it's not smart doesn't mean it isn't right."

"It's not right!" Draco shouted. "She's my little sister, she's a _Malfoy_."

"Then I'd say she's _almost_ worthy of a Potter," Harry didn't know where this sudden pride came from. Not someplace good, he decided.

"Worthy of a Potter?" Malfoy repeated.

"What are you so scared of, Malfoy?"

"Nothing."

"Are you scared that she's gonna fall for me? Scared that we could actually be happy?" Harry paused, gauging his reaction. "Or are you jealous?"

"Yeah, Potter," Draco tried for sarcasm. "I'm jealous that my sister wants you. Moron."

"Maybe if you just tell Hermione…"

"I'm not telling that stupid, little Mudblood anything!"

Harry pulled back; much like Hermione herself had in third year, and planted his fist into Draco's nose. He stomped up the stairs and slammed the door. Draco sank to the ground, staring into the fire. He knew he should stop the bleeding, or mend his nose. But he let the blood fall, hating himself for every pureblooded drop.

Maybe he wasn't as human as she thought.


	5. Chapter 5

Harry trudged down the steps and into the light of the Gryffindor common room. He was wondering faintly why his hand hurt, then he saw the bloodstains on the carpet near the fire. It wasn't that he was ashamed of himself, the stupid prat deserved it. He wondered how Lucy would take it.

He'd heard whispers on his way down the stairs but the immediately ceased when he'd entered the room. The three Malfoy's were sitting around a table, which had scrolls of parchment around it. Lucy noticed him first.

"Morning', sunshine. Glad your up. Go get Ron, tell him we're going soon."

"Going where?" Harry asked, bewildered.

"We have to stop at the Manor then we'll find Voldemort," she told him as if he were stupid.

"Today? We're going to find Voldemort today?"

"Eh," she muttered. "Probably won't get to him for a week or so. We'll have to take out the straggler Death Eaters and work our way to the inner circle. Take them out and then the big man's all on his own."

"Did you get all the Horcruxes?" Draco asked, suddenly.

"Yeah, just the snake's left."

"What's a Horcrux?" Harry muttered.

"Whenever Voldemort killed someone important he split his soul. It was his quest for immortality. Dumbledore got rid of one, a ring. You destroyed the other, that diary. Sirius let us know that his brother Regulus got to the locket."

"That leaves four, if he was going for seven," Draco added.

"Well, there's still a piece inside him, that'll be the last one we go for," Lucy spoke quickly, sure of herself. And Harry could feel himself fading to the outside of this conversation. "Are you paying attention, Potter? This has a lot to do with you."

"Yeah…but…"

"Listen now, questions later." Lucy commanded. "So he's still got a bit inside of him. One, the snake. Nagini is gonna be close to Voldemort when we get there, so one of us'll have to take her out.

"Hufflepuff's cup was taken care of by yours truly," Lucy grinned. "And I'm gonna say Rowena's hair clip is the last, which was destroyed by Dumbledore ages ago."

"This doesn't make any sense," Harry finally came around. "We aren't going now. We aren't prepared."

"_You_ aren't prepared, Harry. Doesn't mean the rest of us haven't been waiting for this day."

"Lucy, you can't just go running off into a battle you can't…"

"Don't tell me what to do."

Draco and Luna exchanged a nervous glance between the two.

"We need time to plan this out…gather weapons."

Lucy stood up; she pulled up the sleeve of her shirt. "I _am_ your weapon. And my _time_ is running out."

"Lucy, I get that you want him finished. I want him finished too, but you're being to rash about this. We need more soldiers…"

"We have the entire Order of the Phoenix standing with us. We've got Hermione Granger. We have the Weasley's and the best of the Malfoy's. And we've got you, Harry."

"What do I have?" he asked.

"Me."

* * *

There was a pounding on the door. Sirius pulled the pillow out from under his head and chucked it at the door. The knocking increase. He struggled out of the sheets, how had they gotten tied around his legs anyway? Before throwing the door open wide.

There was an intake of breaths and the sound of hands clapping to faces.

Lucy stood, staring her naked godfather in the eye, "Go put on some clothes for Merlin's sake and get your ass to the Great Hall."

"That sort of thing shouldn't be allowed around children," Ron muttered, pressing his hands into his eyes until spots erupted.

"The lad was just bailed out of hell, Weasley," Draco spat. "Give him a break."

"Speaking of break," Hermione rounded the corner from the library. "What happened to your nose?" She approached him, tenderly running her fingers over his bruised nose.

"Disagreement." Said Harry.

"Spoke before I thought." Said Draco.

"Moron," added Harry.

"Prat."

"Boys, shut up," Lucy said.

"Ninny," Draco glared.

"Prick!"

Lucy rolled her eyes, grabbed both boys by the side of their heads and knocked their skulls together. They dropped.

She stood for a moment looking pleased before noticing the others in the hall. Each face had a look of shock on it.

"What?" she asked. "They were annoying me."

Twenty minutes later, Draco was nursing a bruised cranium and a barely healed nose. He glared at his sister, who ignored him.

"So we'll go get the others," Harry heard Lucy finished up, but he hadn't been paying any attention. He became distracted every time she blinked…or spoke. Or breathed in.

"Get what others?"

Every head in the room turned towards him. "Have you been listening at all, mate?" Ron asked him.

"Yeah, 'course I have. I just don't know who we're going to get."

"The other's like me," Lucy said.

"Death Eaters?"

"Quick recap for those of us," she smirked at Harry. "Not paying attention. Seventeen years ago a group of children were taken to form an army with one purpose: Kill Harry Potter. We were hidden from the outside world in the Black Forest. We were trained in everything we'd need. Not just magic, but even hand-to-hand combat. We had no connection to the outside world, even our teachers didn't. Voldemort was killed by Harry, but he'd left explicit instructions on what to do with us. We were continued to be trained, because of the prophecy that Voldemort had heard about Harry."

"So right now, in the forest…there's a group of seventeen year olds trained to kill Harry?" Hermione asked, taking notes.

"Pretty much," Lucy agreed. "But most of them are like me, they believe that Voldemort is evil."

"Most of them?" Draco asked. "Not all of them?"

"Some were too easily brainwashed, they'll still want to kill him."

"Sounds like my kind of crowd," Draco smirked.


End file.
